Brimstone

by Tamara Thorne

  “Fluffy!” Holly exclaimed. She held her arms out and Ben placed the cat firmly in them. Fluffy began purring.

  “I see you’re acquainted. He’s Meredith’s, right?” Ben glanced nervously at the hotel.

  “Yes.” She kissed the cat’s forehead, hoping she hadn’t let him out when she left in the middle of the night. Probably not. They would’ve missed him. He must’ve gotten out when they left on their trip. She hugged him close.

  “Well,” Ben said. “I know they’re gone for a long weekend and I found him down the road a ways when I made a delivery. He looked hungry and miserable. Meredith told me he’s a house cat, never goes out.” Another anxious glance at the hotel. “She once told me that she keeps a spare house key behind the registration desk. I thought maybe if you’d fetch it, Holly, I can borrow it and put this fellow back in his home.”

  “Sure! It’s not safe for cats to be outside.” Holly hugged Fluffy close. “Because of coyotes and owls.” She paused. “If the key isn’t there, he can stay in my room until they get home!”

  She handed the cat back to Ben and ran inside. Peg knew exactly where the key was and a moment later, Holly returned just in time to hear Adeline inviting Ben to tea.

  The color drained from the old man’s face as he looked toward the lobby door. “I … I haven’t been in there since I was a boy.”

  Fluffy, as if sensing his discomfort, put his paws around his neck, pushed his cheek against Ben’s, and purred.

  Abner nodded understanding. “That happened a long time ago.”

  “What happened?” Holly asked.

  Ben acted like he hadn’t heard her and Abner gave her a nearly imperceptible shake of the head.

  “What do you say, Ben?” Adeline asked. “It would be very helpful. We’ll all wait right here until you get back.”

  Ben hesitated, looked at Abner, then Holly. “Maybe, for a little while. My delivery man is home sick today, so I couldn’t stay long. But first things first, I need to deliver this furball.”

  Holly smiled. “I’ll go with you. We should make sure he has food and water and I know where it is.” She put her arms out for the cat.

  Together they got in the van. Adeline smiled. “We’ll wait right here.”

  Ben tipped an invisible hat and pulled out, Holly cooing to the cat as they turned toward the Granger home.

  Ben Gower glanced at Holly as he drove slowly up the Granger’s twisting driveway. She had her face buried in ginger fur and was explaining to the cat that she’d feed him and brush him and that he had to stay inside. “I’m sorry we found the key, Fluffy. I wish you could stay with me. I’d brush you until you don’t have a speck of dirt on you.”

  Ben could hear the cat’s purr. He was already sorry he’d agreed to Adeline’s invitation to have tea with Dee and the others. He never wanted to set foot in that building again. But he’d agreed because it sounded like it would be helpful, both to Dee and Holly, and he was a grown man now - an old man, for Christ’s sake - and it was time to let go of boyhood fears. There would be no dead bodies in the hotel. Just nice people, friends, he might be able to help.

  They rounded the last hairpin turn and pulled past the cobblestone walk that led through a perfect garden to the front door. The place was beautiful, Ben thought as he continued on past the kitchen door to the broad area in front of the garage where he could turn the truck around. “Look!” Holly pointed. “Their car is still here.”

  It was true. The station wagon sat beside Mike’s pickup in the covered carport beyond the house.

  “That’s a little odd.” Ben turned the truck around and pulled to a stop by the kitchen door.

  “They were supposed to leave before dawn.” Holly absently petted the cat. “They went to bed early and everything.” She looked worried.

  Ben smiled. “Maybe they’re out looking for the cat.”

  Holly brightened. “I bet you’re right.” She pulled the house key from her pocket and handed it to Ben. “I’ll carry Fluffy.”

  They climbed from the truck and Ben rapped on the kitchen door. Receiving no answer, he tried the doorbell. They heard it chime deep in the house, but no one came to the door. Holly clutched the cat to her, looking worried again. Ben gave her another smile as he put the key into the knob. “Guess we’d better use this. They’re probably out looking for that big fellow right this minute.”

  “Probably.” She didn’t sound convinced.

  They stepped into the silent, shadowed kitchen. Holly put the cat on the floor and he immediately ran to a bowl of kibble and began eating. The poor guy was half-starved.

  “Becky?” Holly called. “Meredith?”

  No replies. Ben glanced around, saw nothing out of place. No breakfast dishes in the sink. Nothing to indicate anything was wrong. “Maybe the car broke down and they rented one in town.”

  “Maybe.” Holly kept her eyes on the ginger cat. “I hope so.”

  Ben left her in the kitchen and walked through the living areas downstairs, and pulled up short when he saw a half dozen sleeping bags piled by the bottom of the stairs. Something’s not right.

  In the kitchen, Holly was putting fresh water in the cat’s bowl. “I’ll be right back,” he told her. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  “Okay.”

  Outside, he hurried past his truck to the garage where he peered into the back of the station wagon. It was full of camping gear. Coolers, tents, knapsacks, a bag of charcoal. Something’s definitely wrong.

  He trotted back to the house as fast as his old legs would carry him.

  Holly wasn’t in the kitchen. Neither was the cat.

  “Holly!” he called.

  “Upstairs. I have to catch Fluffy!”

  “Holly! Wait for me!” Ben climbed the stairs and came to a sudden halt at the top. Holly’s back was to him - she was staring at the cat. And the cat, a dozen feet into the hallway was standing stiff-legged, tail poofed, back arched Halloween-style, glaring at something Ben couldn’t see. Hissing at an invisible something.

  “Holly?” Ben murmured as he joined her. “Do you see what he’s looking at?”

  “No. I don’t see a thing.”

  Looking at the closed bedroom doors, fear prickled down Ben’s spine. “Holly, go downstairs.”

  “I have to get Fluffy.”

  “He’s upset and he’ll bite you. Let him come on his own.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes sparking with a promise of gold. “No.”

  “Then stay right here. Don’t move.”

  He stepped to a set of double doors, figuring this had to be the master bedroom. He tried a knob. It was freezing cold but turned easily. “Stay put, Holly,” he called as he opened the door and slipped inside. Something made him pull the door almost closed behind him.

  The blinds were drawn; the room was dark and chilly. He could barely see the bed, couldn’t tell if it had been made or not. “Meredith?” he murmured. “Mike?”

  His bowels turning icy, he switched on the light.

  Everything looked normal. He could see the Grangers were still in bed, asleep.

  No, not asleep.

  The nurse was sprawled on the floor behind the registration desk. In the hospital corridor beyond, more nurses, doctors, patients, some collapsed on the floor, others draped over wheelchairs like laundry on a line, eyes open, staring, fear etched on their lifeless features.

  Now, he forced himself to move closer to the bed. Beneath a cheery yellow and white patchwork quilt lay the Grangers. They were on their backs, eyes half open, dull with death. Mike’s jaw hung open as if he were screaming and Meredith’s hand was a stiff claw over her mouth.

  It’s happened again.

  Outside, Holly screamed.

  Ben raced from the room, past the hissing cat, and saw another door gaping open. He ran in. The first thing he saw was a wall full of model horses in a pink, pink bedroom. The second was Holly standing beside a peppermint-striped twin bed, staring at a little blond girl whose frozen feat
ures nearly stopped Ben’s heart.

  “Holly,” he said.

  “Becky’s dead.” Holly turned to him, her voice soft but strong. “She’s dead.” She pulled the candy cane bedspread up, covering Becky Granger’s corpse-white face.

  Now all Ben could see was blond hair, like sunbeams, fanning over the pillow.

  “They’re all dead, aren’t they?”

  Ben nodded and put his hand gently on Holly’s shoulder. “We need to leave.”

  She let him lead her to the door. “Now I know why I had to go home last night,” she murmured.

  “What?” he asked, about to shut the door.

  “I had to come home. I was sleeping over and going camping with them. And then … Wait a minute.” She rushed back inside, grabbed a paper off Becky’s desk, and returned. “Here. Read this.”

  Ben shut the door then read the note. “Dear Becky, I left early because I forgot to water the plants yesterday and want to do it before my grandmother wakes up. I forgot that Miss Delilah and I were going to do some things together tomorrow, so I’ve decided not to go camping with you. I’ll come next time. Please tell your mom? I hope you have lots of fun!”

  “I’m glad you left, Holly. Was this the real reason?” Ben glanced at the note.

  “No.” Holly reached down and picked up the frightened cat, who not only allowed it, but clung to her, burying his face in her hair. “My inner voice told me to leave, but not why.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “I wish it had. I would’ve made them leave, too. I would’ve woke them up. I- I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

  “Of course you would have. But this isn’t your fault. Let’s take Fluffy and get back to the hotel.”

  41

  Fluffy Tales

  Adeline smiled at Holly as she came around Ben’s delivery truck, the cat snug in her arms. “Did you decide to have Fluffy stay with you until Meredith gets back?”

  But Holly didn’t even look at her. She disappeared into the hotel without a word.

  Then Addie saw Ben’s ashen face as he approached.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Ben’s voice trembled. “They’re dead.”

  “Who’s dead?” Abner asked.

  “Dead in their beds.” Ben’s voice was hollow. “Meredith and Mike. I found them. Their little girl.” He paused. “Holly found her. I told her to stay downstairs, but …”

  “What about the boys?” Addie asked.

  “I didn’t check their rooms because I wanted to get Holly out of that house.” Tears brimmed in his old eyes. “The house feels like a tomb.”

  “I’ll go check on them,” Abner volunteered.

  “Here.” Ben gave him a key. “Kitchen door. Wait.” He extracted another key. “Take my truck.”

  “Thanks.” After ordering Keith to stay put, Abner took off.

  “Can I go in the lobby?” Keith asked, looking a little shell-shocked.

  “Of course you may, but leave Holly be,” Addie said. “She’ll talk to you when she’s ready.”

  “Okay. I’ll just look at the souvenirs.” The boy trotted away and Addie turned to Ben. “We’d better call the police. And an ambulance.”

  “I’ll bet my soul there’s nothing alive in that house.” Ben’s voice sounded as thin as the air.

  Addie ran a hand over her hair, remembering. “Holly was supposed to spend the night with the Grangers. Thank God she didn’t!”

  “She was there,” Ben told her. “She left in the middle of the night.” He shook his head. “I don’t begin to understand it, but she said she knew she had to go home.” He pulled a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to Addie. “She left this in Becky’s room.”

  “Holly’s very intuitive.” Addie read the note.

  She started to hand the note back, but Ben said, “No, you keep it. Destroy it. Addie, she’s blaming herself for their deaths, for not warning them to get out.”

  “I’ll talk to her.” Addie’s mind raced with questions.

  “I wonder what killed them,” Ben said softly. “I didn’t see any marks. It was just like when I was a boy. When I went to the hospital and they were all dead. Just like it.” He glanced up at the hotel then fixed his gaze on her. “Addie, I saw the dragon fly last night.”

  “So did Ike. The Beast is growing stronger.” Suddenly she understood. “Ben, I think I know why the Grangers died.”

  “Why?”

  “The Beast knew they were going to take Holly away from here and Henry Hank couldn’t allow that to happen.”

  Ben nodded. “I’d never tell that to the little girl.”

  “I won’t, but she’s smart. She’s likely thought of it already.”

  Together, they entered the lobby. Ben joined Keith in front of the T-shirt display while Addie approached the desk. Holly, hugging the cat to her chest, stood just beyond, her face buried in Fluffy’s fur. She didn’t acknowledge Adeline.

  Peg had been watching the girl and now she turned to Addie, her dark eyes shocked and sad. “What-”

  “I need to call the police.”

  “I just did,” Peg said.

  “Thank you.”

  “Would you like some coffee?”

  “Not right now.” Adeline glanced at the girl. She hadn’t moved. “I need to speak with Holly-”

  A chime announced the elevator’s arrival and Adeline watched the heavy doors open. A slim hand pushed the accordion gate aside, then Delilah Devine stepped out, searching eyes passing over Addie without seeing her. In an instant, they found Holly and Dee ran to the girl, enveloped her in her arms, murmuring to her, raining kisses on her brow. At last, she led her toward the stairs.

  Relieved, Adeline turned to Peg. “I’d love that cup of coffee.”

  Delilah sat at Holly’s little dinette table politely drinking the cup of orange juice her granddaughter insisted on serving her. The girl was maintaining herself by keeping busy, by acting as if nothing were wrong. Delilah understood - it was the same coping mechanism she used.

  Holly had put a dish of water on the floor for the cat and as she finished cutting up some leftover chicken for him, the phone rang. Holly glanced up, her eyes alive with terror in her otherwise stony face.

  “I’ll get it. Fluffy needs you to finish making him his meal.” Holly looked grateful and went back to work as Delilah picked up the receiver. “Holly Tremayne’s room.”

  “Miss Delilah, Frieda thought you might be there,” Peg Moran said. “I wanted to let you and Holly know that Steve is coming in a little early. He’s bringing up some supplies for Holly’s guest. Kibble, a litter pan…”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you, both of you. Thank you. I’ll let Holly know.” She hung up. Peg wasn’t overly fond of people, but she dearly loved cats. Delilah gave Holly the news. The girl nodded and petted Fluffy as he wolfed down the chicken.

  Delilah watched her granddaughter shred newspapers then take them into the bathroom. A moment later she returned and carried Fluffy in. “See, Fluffy? You can pee on the paper in the bathtub until you have your own litter box.”

  Delilah cringed a little at the thought but made herself stay silent - it was really a very logical idea.

  When Holly returned, Fluffy trailing her, Delilah stood. “I think Fluffy will be just fine if you and I go up to the penthouse for a while.”

  “I don’t want to leave him.” Holly looked at the cat.

  “Just for a little while. Just for a sandwich.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  The child was clearly trying to hide her suffering. “Holly, couldn’t you consider coming up for a little bit? I really don’t want to be alone. Do you?”

  The girl looked up. “You don’t?”

  Delilah shook her head. “I really don’t. Please come keep me company for a little while.”

  “Well, okay.” Holly set Fluffy on the bed and kissed his forehead. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

  An hour later, Holly sat cross-legged on her bed, Fluffy in her lap.
His deep rumbling purr soothed her and she wondered if she should have asked her grandmother to come back down with her. The purr would make her feel better, too; it would make anyone feel better.

  Up in the penthouse, Frieda had served a tray of dainty sandwiches that had been intended for the tea with Adeline. Holly and Delilah had nibbled at them, but everything had tasted like cardboard. She’d brought a sack of them back to her room. They were in the fridge now. Even the heaping plate of cookies Frieda sent along sat untouched on the neat kitchen counter. Holly wasn’t sure she’d ever want to eat again.

  After their small meal, Delilah disappeared into her office to make a phone call, so Holly had stepped onto the western balcony. From there, she saw a police car blocking the entrance to the Grangers’ driveway and, much higher, a few upstairs windows. Now and then she caught glimpses of movement. That was the worst. Or at least it was until Delilah joined her just in time to see the police car move out of the way and two ambulances slowly pull onto the road and drive off without lights or sirens. Soon after, Delilah reluctantly let her go back to her own room.

  “I’m sorry, Fluffy,” Holly murmured, fighting back a fresh round of tears as she remembered Becky’s bluish-white face once again, the dulling eyes half open, full of terror despite the slack features. Holly knew that face would haunt her for the rest of her life.

  Three sharp raps on the door sent Fluffy flying for cover. Holly jumped up and stared. Maybe it was the police wanting to know why she left in the middle of the night. Or maybe it was that bellhop come to tease her about her mother. Maybe-

  “Holly?” called Steve. “It’s me. Are you in there?”

  Relieved, she pulled the door wide. “Come in.”

  “I’ve got everything your kitty needs right here.” He smiled around two grocery sacks and headed for the table. She shut and locked the door before joining him.

  As Steve began unloading the bags, Fluffy leapt onto the table, and with a trilling meow, tried to climb into one of them. Steve laughed as he pulled out a box of Friskies and shook it. “Is this what you’re after?”